The present invention pertains generally to protective devices for contact with an automotive wheel to shield a portion of the wheel assembly against deposits dislodged during cleaning.
Available presently are a wide range of cleaning products sold to facilitate the cleaning of a wheel assembly during washing of an automobile. Presently it is in vogue to enhance automobile appearance by installation of wheels having a highly attractive appearance such as being chrome plated or otherwise attractively finished. The use of certain chemicals or abrasive products to clean tire sidewalls may damage the bright finish of an automobile wheel. Also dislodged dirt or grit may harm wheel surface. Accordingly, when using a tire sidewall cleaner, it is highly desirable to shield the metal wheel from the cleaning medium to avoid degrading wheel appearance. As certain makes of automobile wheels sold in sets may cost in excess of hundreds of dollars, it is highly desirable that such wheels be protected from damage during washing of an automobile.
In the prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 2,835,222 shows a tire sidewall protector for use when cleaning an automobile wheel. Two semi-circular members are adjustable to effect engagement with a wheel rim.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,858 discloses a sidewall mask of semi-circular shape provided with a handle for urging the mask into sidewall abutment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,440 discloses a cone shaped wheel protector having a rim for seatied engagement with the wheel perimeter at points thereabout.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,191 discloses a cone shaped protector having an open segment to permit the diameter of the protector to be altered to accommodate different wheel diameters. The outer margin of the protector is provided with interengageable slots and tabs to maintain the protector in a desired diameter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,991 discloses a truncaded cone for placement over an automobile wheel during the application of a cleaner to tire sidewalls.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,206 discloses a circular disk shaped guard for engagement with the rim of an automobile wheel with a series of removable annular spaces permitting sizing of the device to a specific wheel diameter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,599 discloses a conical guard for placement over an automobile wheel with edge contact with the tire about the wheel rim. The guard is of plastic construction in one form to permit some degree of flexure during attachment to a wheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,630 depicts a circular protector having a perimeter shaped to effect engagement with a wheel rim.
The present invention is embodied within a flexible shield for covering at least a portion of an automobile wheel during cleaning of the tire on the wheel.
The shield is of concavo-convex shape having an arcuate perimeter which may be flexed to enable use of the present shield with automotive wheels of different diameter. The perimetrical edge of the shield is engageable with a tire sidewall adjacent the outer edge of an automobile wheel to provide a barrier to prevent the flow of dirty water, cleaning medium and dislodged debris from direct contact with an automobile wheel. Wheels having a decorative finish are susceptible to degradation by the above matter. The outer margin of the present shield is highly flexible for displacement outwardly upon manual pressure being imparted to the shield during use. For example, the present shield may accommodate wheels of different diameters upon such flexing of the shield. A hand grip is provided in the form of elongate openings in the shield to permit secure grasping of same. An irregular free edge of the shield contributes to shield flexibility.
Important objectives of the present wheel shield include the provision of a molded, flexible wheel shield having an outer marginal area which is of reduced section and flexes to the extent of enabling contact with tire sidewalls on at least two different wheel radii; the provision of a wheel shield for use during washing of an automobile wheel assembly wherein the shield is arcuately repositioned during use to shield the wheel from cleaning solutions and dislodged debris to protect the wheel finish; the provision of a wheel shield defining a pair of openings disposed so as to constitute a handgrip facilitating shield placement and the imparting of an axially directed force to the shield for optimum contact with a tire sidewall.